Info Race

Day 330. Kilometre 38,825 (Mile 24,125). Latitude 16° 22' South.

A summary of my itinerary since Cuzco, with a bit of anticipation also.

Distance between Cuzco and Uyuni : 4.615 km (2,670 mi)

Left from Cuzco, I went on the shore of Lake Titicaca. Puno and the floating islands were my last step in Peru. I crossed the border: welcome to Bolivia! Then I spent two days on Isla del Sol (Sun island) on the Bolivian side of the Lake.

Then I made La Paz a base camp for my climb of Huayna Potosi and my hike in the Cordillera Apolobamba. Sucre, the “white city” and capital of the country, was the next step. Then I hit the road to reach Santa Cruz from where I am going to spend a week visiting the Jesuit Missions (I am there at present).

Back in Santa Cruz, I'll meet Falko, a German friend who comes spend the end of year in the region. We'll go to the mining city of Potosi, then Uyuni and its famous salar (salt flat), and then the wonderful region of South Lipez. After all that it will be high time to reach Chile!

Cordillera de Apolobamba

Excuse my laziness and/or my lack of time, but I will just post a short report on this hike in the Cordillera de Apolobamba. If you want the full story, you can read the French version of it or copy-paste it in Google Translate.

I went for a five-day hike in the Cordillera Apolobamba, located in the North-West of La Paz, a little above Lake Titicaca. I knew this hike would be challenging since I did it alone (my German friends Henning, Paulo and Lisa left for other adventures) and with very little practical information on the trail. When you had to it days of rain and fog and snow and hail, you understand that I didn't see the magnificent landscapes I came for. But I liked it anyway. Moreover, I met a nice Czech couple and an interesting young gold minor on my way.

Huayna Potosí

In Cuzco, with pictures of his ascent of Huayna Potosí, Antoine made Henning and me dream. Once Paulo and Lisa joined us in Puno, the expedition was in the pipes. After meeting Kati in La Paz, we all five knocked on the door of Altitud 6000, the agency recommended by Antoine. I don't usually make advertising, but the quality of care and professionalism of the guides are noteworthy.

We left from La Paz for three days: one day of preparation at base camp, one day ascent up to the second base camp, a third day to climb the summit and return to La Paz. You have to be ready to confront a peak at 6,088 m (19,975 ft)! Altitude-wise, it's ok, it's been several weeks since we all move around at more than 3,000 m, except Kati freshly returning from a month in the Amazonia. Physically, ascension is not the most complicated for novices like us. Finally, in terms of equipment, the agency lent us all what we needed: jacket and pants, hiking boots, gaiters, crampons, ice ax, harness, helmet, etc..

And here is the dream team: the five of us already excited and amazed by the Cordillera Real which encircles the city of La Paz, accompanied by Juancho (the mountain guide who opened this agency), William and Ismael, the other two guides, and Tofi the cook. Very good atmosphere. The ascent began in La Paz (3,600 m – 11,800 ft), then we crossed the suburb of El Alto (4,100 m – 13,450 ft) on the Altiplano. We arrived at the first base camp (indoor, don't worry!) at 4,850 m (15,900 ft).

There, a little practice was waiting for us: walking with crampons and ice axes. We even ice climbed. My only regret when I left Alaska! On the second day, a small walk to reach the second base camp (indoor as well). We acclimatised, eat well, drink mate de coca, this tea made of coca leaves to help manage the changes in elevation.

Third day, starting at 1am. The objective is clear: to be at the top for sunrise. We started in the snow and wind. Progress is slow. Kati eventually gave up in the middle. Probably not quite acclimated to the altitude. We continued still under the clouds. And suddenly, probably high enough, to 5,700 m (18,700 ft), the sky opened itself and let us see the first light of day, just above the clouds. It is so beautiful that I am really moved!

The following is less funny. I had to stop at 6,000 m (19,685 ft): the headache I'd had in the morning does not pass. It even got worse and kept me from eating and drinking. I think I never had such headache of my life, to smash it against the wall. I felt my strength gradually abandoning me and if I wanted to go down by myself, I had to keep some reserves. I stopped there and let Henning, Lisa and Paulo continue to the top, so close.

In the end, yes, I am a little disappointed not to have been able to go up there. But happy with my first mountaineering experience. And then I came down with what I was looking for: the sunrise above the clouds!

I know, I'm a little late in blogging and posting pictures. Very soon, the report of the five-day hike in the Cordillera Apolobamba from which I just returned.

On the shores of Lake Titicaca

Titicaca. What a strange name! I remember giggling stupidly at the mention of this name (sounds like “pee-poop” in French) when I was younger. I confess it still makes me laugh. But where does the name? Several hypotheses, but it seems that it is a term in Aymara language that refers to the Rock of the Puma on Isla del Sol (Sun Island), the birthplace of the Inca civilisation.

A bit of geography for those who are fond of it. Lake Titicaca is located on the border between Peru and Bolivia, in this vast region called Altiplano (high plateau) at 3800 meters altitude. The highest navigable lake in the world is as big as three times the Luxembourg (or twice Rhode Island). It is a freshwater lake, half fed by rivers and half fed by the rain that falls on its surface. The lake level remains constant through the flow of the Rio Desaguadero (7.5%), but also to significant evaporation (92.5%) due to the dry climate of the region.

From Cuzco, Henning and I joined Puno, our last stop in Peru, on the shores of the lake. We met Paulo there (he left us in Lima to join Lisa in Arequipa) and Lisa. Not much to do in Puno if it is to visit the floating islands of Uros. The Uros are an indigenous Indian people originally from the lake. Chased by the Incas, they decided to flee on mini-islands they made out of reeds. These islands could be moved like floating barges. Very convenient! Later, they approached the current Puno, less prone to droughts.

These islands are quite staggering: a layer of several meters of submerged earth (which makes it floating) covered with reed, and anchored to the bottom of the shallow waters of the lake. On average, they are 500 m² and are home of five families, living in small huts made of straw. It takes 8 months to make an island, knowing that they have a life expectancy of 40 years. The coating reed is renewed every two weeks by adding new reeds, the old one being incorporated to the topsoil.

You'll be a little disappointed, but no longer Uros Indians inhabit the islands. The last representative of the people died in 1959. But the Aymara Indians are now living on the islands and run the visits. About 2,000 people live there, most men work in Puno and women run the visits and sell their handicraft products. Nowadays it looks like a attraction park, but it's still interesting to understand how the Uros lived at the time and made their islands.

We then continued our journey. Border crossing: we leave Peru. While I really enjoyed all the hiking in the Peruvian Andes, I found the Peruvians very unkind. I don't like making a generality out of a three-week experience without real contact on site. But the fact is that I was surprised to find this trait (unfriendly, unsmiling, no humour) regularly and in all the places I went. To all those who have told me that I would love Peru, tell me what I missed, please!

Bolivian first step: the Island of the Sun. It is the largest island in Lake Titicaca. Some human communities are installed (about 5,000 people), but most of the island is wild. Steppe landscape, rocky, little vegetation, it is very beautiful. We toured over two days, with a night in a tent in the centre of the island, the highest point from which we witnessed sunset and moonrise, and moonset and sunrise the next early morning. On the pictures, you will see the moonrise and sunrise the next day, in front of the lake front and the snowy Cordillera Real in the background. Nature is really beautiful!

Finally, we headed to La Paz. From the lake, we rode on the Altiplano, until we got to El Alto, on the outskirts of La Paz, perched at 4,100 m (13,500 ft) altitude. And from there, we suddenly plunged into the cauldron of La Paz, 500 vertical meters below. I met there my friend Kati (that you begin to identify now) to ascent the five of us the Huayna Potosi (6,088 m – 19,975 ft), the highest peak identifiable on pictures of the Cordillera Real.